Amazon, in a request for proposals on its website, said it wants its “HQ2” to be the “equal” of its Seattle base of operations, which currently consists of 33 buildings covering more than 8 million square feet of office space. No doubt Georgia and Atlanta area officials will pitch for the project, and tout the region’s talent base and research universities such as Georgia Tech.

Still the announcement got Atlanta’s real estate and economic development circles buzzing.

Officials connected to state and local recruiting agencies said Amazon’s announcement came as a shock. Two said they expected practically every state and major city in the nation to at least respond to the RFP, with likely contenders being Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Nashville and the Washington, D.C., area, to name just a few.

Could the former General Motors plant property in Doraville, slated for a mixed-use development known as Assembly, be appealing to Amazon? J. Scott Trubey/strubey@ajc.com

Could the former General Motors plant property in Doraville, slated for a mixed-use development known as Assembly, be appealing to Amazon? J. ... read more

The Thursday morning announcement set off the largest corporate jobs recruitment bonanza in modern memory. It’s sure to ignite an incentives bidding war, and Amazon’s public launch of such a project sent a clear signal to governments across North America: Have your checkbooks ready.

Amazon asked governments to identify incentive programs such as tax credits, exemptions, grants for relocation and workforce and other cost reduction programs.

“The initial cost and ongoing cost of doing business are critical decision drivers,” the document said.

Job recruitment is often a secretive business, but some companies have chosen of late to go public with their plans and, in effect, creating open bidding wars. Automakers Toyota and Mazda announced plans for a U.S. plant this year, and companies such as Tesla, Boeing and Archer Daniels Midland have made relocation or expansion plans public in recent years.

A rendering of Summerhill, the planned mixed-use development around Georgia State Stadium, formerly known as Turner Field. The northern end of the property could be pitched for a corporate campus, developer Carter has said. SPECIAL

A rendering of Summerhill, the planned mixed-use development around Georgia State Stadium, formerly known as Turner Field. The northern end of ... read more

Corporate headquarters, particularly for such a massive company as Amazon, are coveted by lawmakers and business leaders for their quantity of high-paying jobs.

Amazon said it expects to invest more than $5 billion on HQ2 over a decade or more, and “in addition to Amazon’s direct hiring and investment, construction and ongoing operation of Amazon HQ2 is expected to create tens of thousands of additional jobs and tens of billions of dollars in additional investment in the surrounding community.”

Aerial of the front gate at Fort McPherson shot from the east looking west on Aug. 24, 2005. Filmmaker Tyler Perry acquired most of the property, but a government-backed redevelopment authority recently named a developer for the remainder of the site. AJC File Photo

Aerial of the front gate at Fort McPherson shot from the east looking west on Aug. 24, 2005. Filmmaker Tyler Perry ... read more

Amazon said the response deadline to the RFP is Oct. 19, with a final decision expected next year. The company said it prefers a metro area of greater than 1 million residents and said it will consider “urban or suburban” locations to help attract and retain talent.

The document said the company wants jurisdictions to “think creatively for viable real estate options, while not negatively affecting our preferred timeline.” Among the company’s requirements, are easy access to major highways, a location within 45 minutes of an international airport and direct mass transit access.

Amazon said its requirements would start with a first phase of up 1 million square feet, with at least half of that needed by 2019.

Amazon said it will consider greenfield development, infill sites and existing buildings, or a combination.

Rendering of the High Street project in Dunwoody just west of Perimeter Mall. It’s a large tract of developable land on MARTA slated for apartments, condos, retail and office space. Would Amazon be a good fit here? Source: GID Urban Developement

Rendering of the High Street project in Dunwoody just west of Perimeter Mall. It’s a large tract of developable land on ... read more

Popular in Business

Reader Comments
...

Next Up in Business

The supermarket chain that operates Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo stores could close as many as 200 stores as part of a possible bankruptcy plan, according to news first reported by Bloomberg. Reuters reported that sources familiar with the potential bankruptcy filing said the company would close at least 100 stores. Winn-Dixie operates close to 500 stores...

An aggressive Atlanta homebuilder is selling itself to a Japanese-based company, seeing deeper pockets as the only sure way to grow. FrontDoor Communities, is being acquired by Virginia-based Stanley Martin Communities in a deal whose financial details have not been announced. But Stanley Martin itself sold a controlling interest a year ago to Daiwa...

Metro Atlanta home prices jumped 9.9 percent on average during the past year, while the supply of homes for sale crashed to what might be record lows, according to the latest report from the Atlanta Realtors Association. The median sales price last month was $245,000, up from $223,000 in January of last year, the monthly report said. Part of what&rsquo...

The XpresSpa locations at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are touted as oases of relaxation, where passengers and off-duty employees can leave behind the grind and relax with a massage or manicure. But, beneath the facade of tranquility, is a nasty, years-long business dispute that has cost the city of Atlanta more than $800,000 in legal fees...

A newly proposed Senate Bill that would have limited charges on Georgia Power customer bills for the Vogtle nuclear expansion project has been amended, to apply only to future nuclear projects. The amended version of Senate Bill 355, which received unanimous support from members of the Regulated Industries and Utilities committee Thursday, will target...